Pre-order or wait for Sim-free?

[left shark fan]

Hi!

I was wondering if somebody could help me out and give me some advice. I go to college in the US but live in Europe and I want my phone to work everywhere I go. I would love to pre-order but up until now I have no idea which one I should/can get. I have also no idea about which bands are being used in which country or by which provider. I heard that the only phone you can pre-order without an account is the T-Mobile version, is this true? Does anybody have any advice for what I should do? Pre order/Wait in line or wait until the Sim-free version comes out? Will the sim-free be any different than the models sold on launch and how long will it take for the Sim-free to come out? I know these are a lot of questions but I'm clueless..

Thanks!

 

[garyleecn]

i don't think you need any account info as long as you pay the full price, but i've never ordered a ATT/VZW one (I use Tmobile, btw, TM has free international roaming, unlimited text and data, maybe consider TM?)
BUT IM NOT 100% sure about it.

or, you can reserve one (if they have this option this year), and when you go to the store they for sure will let you buy one without any account info (of course you gotta pay in full)

 

[westcoastcyc]

You can only order the T-mobile version without having an account.

 

[kybldmstr]

Not much point in waiting when you can order the TMO phone tonight. However the SIM-free phone coming later may have all bands for all the carriers, not just GSM

 

[left shark fan]

Thanks for the replies! I read a lot on the forum in the meantime too and found out that the CDMA bands that are in the Verizon/Sprint are not widely used except for the US. And I'm pretty sure I will not get any of those carriers and the countries that I visit use the GSM bands. I'm gonna go with a 128GB T-Mobile version! Now the only thing that's left is decide which color to order..

 

[Gr81MB]

So if I want unlocked go with T-Mobile then?

 

[left shark fan]

Yeah the T-Mobile is unlocked but you won't be able to use the phone on either Sprint or Verizon networks because it's lacking the CDMA bands that are used by those carriers. It will be usable on all GSM networks which is AT&T and T-Mobile in America and pretty much everywhere worldwide except China and I think Japan. Also the T-Mobile version is the only one of the four carriers that you can purchase without an account of the carrier.

 

[Gr81MB]

Yeah the T-Mobile is unlocked but you won't be able to use the phone on either Sprint or Verizon networks because it's lacking the CDMA bands that are used by those carriers. It will be usable on all GSM networks which is AT&T and T-Mobile in America and pretty much everywhere worldwide except China and I think Japan. Also the T-Mobile version is the only one of the four carriers that you can purchase without an account of the carrier.

That's what I will be doing then! Which one are you getting!!

 

[left shark fan]

That's what I will be doing then! Which one are you getting!!

I wanted to get the T-Mobile 128GB Silver but my credit card didn't work since it isn't a US card.. So disappointing. Stayed up for nothing This one's also not available for pick up so I guess I just have to go there next Friday to see it they have this model.